Rule with fear of God, Banjo advises Akarigbo-elect

A three-time governorship candidate of the National Conscience Party in Ogun State, Mr. Lanre Banjo, has advised the newly elected Akarigbo of Remo, Prince Tunde Ajayi, to rule with the fear of God.

The Akarigbo of Remo is a title of kingship attributed to the obas of Sagamu, who have been in existence since the founding of the Ijebu Kingdom by a prince of Oyo named Obanta and the arrival of the Prince Akarigbo to the western area of the kingdom around the early 16th century.

Congratulating Ajayi and the people of Remo specifically and the Sagamu people in general, Banjo in a statement said he prayed that God would guide, guard and give the Akarigbo-elect immense wisdom to lead Sagamu and the 33 kings in Remo Kingdom.

He said, “No doubt, the position of Akarigbo carries with it dignity, authority, influence and power and, therefore, I urge the Akarigbo-elect to rule with the fear of God and serve as a father to all, and not to those in power and their cronies alone. Even though the federal system we borrowed does not accommodate traditional rulers, in our culture, the role of traditional rulers in nation building could not be overemphasised.

“I beseech you to join principled obas to use the traditional institution to restore their dignity by appreciating their rightful place in the society for national growth. Please do not roll over when politicians scheme to adulterate our tradition, sow a seed of discord and create a future crisis.

“I implore Prince Ajayi to emulate the good works of exemplary obas in Yorubaland and learn from the mistakes of the previous Akarigbos. I pray that the Akarigbo-elect would dedicate himself to building on and surpassing the worthy legacies of his predecessors, and working with businesses in Remo and other traditional rulers across the country to foster greater harmony, peaceful co-existence and faster socio-economic development of Sagamites and all Nigerians.”

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